Capo tasto



No. 608,278. Patentd Allg. 2, |898. P. BENSON.

CAPO TASTO.

(Applcntion illed Hay 2B, 1897.) (N o l o d e I ZzneJJeJ In 7/enm" www..DMQ/LAMY' UNITED STATES PETER BENSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CAPO TASTO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, coser/'adams August2,1898,

Application filed May 28,1897. Serial No. 638,512. (No model.)

To @ZZ 'wwnt t may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER BENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of IIennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements inOapoTastos; andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved capo tasto foruse on guitars. The well-known use of this instrument or device inconnection with a guitar is to throw the guitar from one key to anotherwithout changing the tension of the strings or, in other words, withoutretuning the guitar. These capo tastes as hitherto constructed have beensubject to numerous objections, the most prominent of which arecomplication and fiimsiness of construction-features which make thedevice of too great first cost and also short-lived. n

In my invention I propose to simplify and reduce the cost of the deviceand at the same time to increase the durability and efficiency of thesame.

To these ends my invention consists of the novel devices andcombinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings like numerals indicate like partsthroughout the several viewsa Figure l is a perspective view of myimproved capo tasto. Fig. 2 is a side View of the said capo tasto shownas applied in working position on a guitar-neck, said gui tar-neck beingshown in section; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the linex3 of Eig. 2.

1 indicates the body of the capo tasto, which has substantially theoutline of a capital C. To one prong or extremity of the body-section lthe bar 2 is rigidly secured. This bar 2 is formed from light metal bentinto such shape that it is adapted to retain a facing-strip 3. In otherwords, the

channel formed in the face of the bar 2 is dovetailed in cross-sectionand the facingstrp 3 is of corresponding crosssection. One

end or extremity of the channel formed in the bar 2 is preferably leftopen, so that the facing-strip 3 may be removed or placed in workingposition by endwise movement. This facing-strip 3 is preferablyconstructed of leather, but may be made of other material.

The lower prong of the body or clamp l is bifurcated, as shown at 4, andthe bifurcated portions or prongs 5 are rolled up to form a seat, theaxis of which extends substantially at a right angle to the bar 2.

(5 indicates a knurled nut which works in the bifurcation a of thebody-section l, with its hubs 7 journaled in the seat formed by thecoiled pronged ends 5. The nut 6 is also preferably provided withwearing-surfaces 8, which prevent the nut G from engaging the prongs 5.

9 indicates the presser-foot, the stein l0 of which is screw threadedand works with screw-threaded engagement through the nut G and hubs 7thereof. The presser-foot 9 is much shorter than the bar 2, but isotherwise very similar in construction, in that it is formed from lightmetal bent to form a channel which is dovetailed in cross-section.

ll indicates the removable facing strip, preferably of leather, which incross-section corresponds to the form of the channel in the presser-footf).

It should be here noted that both of the Vfacing-strips 3 and ll proJecta considerable distance beyond the dovetailed channels to which they aresecured. The presser-foot 9 and its stem lO are rigidly secured togetherat l2 by a very stron g rigic joint. The presser foot 9 is kept fromturning by a pair of fingers or prongs 13, which are rigidly secured toand project from one end of the saine and straddle the body or clamp l.As shown, the lower end of the screw-threaded stem l0 is pro vided withan enlarged head It. This head la should be removably secured to thestem IO and should be pla-ced in position after the parts of the capotasto are put together. To put the parts of the capo tasto together, thenut G should first be screwed onto the stem l0, and after this has beendone the prongs 5 should nut 6, as best illustrated in Eig. 3.

The capo tasto is placed in position, as ill us-f be bent around thehubs 7 of said roo trated in Fig. 2, With the facing-strip 3 of the tersPatent of the United States, is as folbar 2 pressing the strings andwith the fac` lows: ing-strip l1 of the presser-foot 9 pressing the 1.The combination With the body and 3o under surface of the guitar-neck.15 indistring engaging bar, of the presser-foot 9 pro- 5 cates theguitar-neck, and 16 the strings. vided With the pronged extension 13strad- From the foregoing it is thought to be evidling said body, thescrew-threaded stem l0 dent that I have accomplished the objects setrigidly secured to said foot 9 and Working forth in the introduction tothis ease. Inasthrough a seat in said body, and the nut 6 35 much as thepresser-foot 9 and its stem 10 are Working on said screw-threaded stem10 and 1o rigidly secured together said presser-foot fixed againstendwise movement in one end cannot become loose from the stem and isalof said clamp-body,substantially as described. ways held in properWorking position. Asis 2. The combination With a clamp-body l obvious,thev presser-foot is clamped against provided With a suitable bar at oneend, and 4o the guitar-neck and removed therefrom simat its other endbifurcated at 4 to form the 15 ply by turning the knurled nut 6. Thefacprongs 5, which prongs are coiled, of the nut ing-strips 3 and 1l aresecurely held by their 6 with hubs 7 held by said coiled prongs 5,dovctailed engagement with the seats in the and the presser-footprovidedWith a screwthreaded stem which Works with screw-thread- 4 5v edengagement through said nut 6 and the hubs 7 thereof, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I'afix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

PETER BENSON.

this construction cement is not a necessity. zo When the saidfacing-strips are Worn out or mashed down, they may be removed andreplaced by new ones With the greatest ease.

It will of course be understood that various alterations in the specificdetails of con- 25 struction above set forth may be made WithlVitnesses:

' L. C. ELMORE,

F. D. MERCHANT.

